CAIRO— An Egyptian court has banned leaders of ousted president Hosni Mubarak's party from taking part in future elections, a day after presidential frontrunner Abdel Fattah el Sissi said the Muslim Brotherhood will not exist if he wins.

Under the Egyptian Court of Urgent Matters ruling, officials of the National Democratic Party would be barred from running in presidential, local or parliamentary elections set for later this year.

The court left unclear how many former NDP members would be affected. None are running in this month’s presidential vote, a two-man race that former defense minister Abdel Fattah el Sissi is expected to win.

The NDP was dissolved after Mubarak’s ouster, but its former members nonetheless remain part of a political elite and retain considerable economic clout. The constitution adopted earlier this year did not prove any barrier to their taking part in elections.

The main challenge to a Sissi presidency is the Muslim Brotherhood, the movement behind former president Mohamed Morsi who Sissi helped oust last year.

In this image made from video broadcast on Egypt's State Television, Egypt's retired Field Marshal Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi listens to a question during an interview in a nationally televised program in Cairo, Egypt, May 5, 2014.

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In this image made from video broadcast on Egypt's State Television, Egypt's retired Field Marshal Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi listens to a question during an interview in a nationally televised program in Cairo, Egypt, May 5, 2014.

Sissi dismissed the Muslim Brotherhood in a televised interview Monday, responding "yes, that is right," when asked whether the Brotherhood would cease to exist during his presidency.

His comments appeared to dash the hopes of Egypt’s remaining proponents of a post-election political reconciliation.

The Brotherhood has already been banned, labeled a terrorist organization, and thousands of its followers either killed or imprisoned.

Smaller, democratic forces have already felt the closing political sphere. Late last month, the April 6 Movement, a key player in the 2011 uprising against Mubarak, was also banned.

Sissi’s approval rating is touted as more than 80 percent, with his supporters saying his strong stance offers Egypt its only hope of regaining stability. But with his only opponent in the race garnering single digit support, analysts and opponents are asking whether political restrictions only risk a bigger backlash.

A man on a horse cart rides past a huge banner of former army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, in downtown Cairo, May 6, 2014.

Egyptian presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi waves at his supporters during his campaign. He is the only opponent running against former army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, in Mahalla, 125 kilometers north of Cairo, May 5, 2014.

Supporters of presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi raise posters of him during his campaign in Mahalla, 125 kilometers north of Cairo, May 5, 2014.

Supporters of former army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi watch his first televised interview on a big screen, Cairo, May 5, 2014.

Former army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi listens to a question during an interview in a nationally televised program on Egypt's State Television, in Cairo, May 5, 2014.

Supporters of former army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi hold posters of him with Arabic writing that reads "Long Live Egypt" while watching his first televised interview on a big screen, Cairo, May 5, 2014.

Supporters of former army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi dance and wave Egyptian flags during a rally, in Sadat City, May 5, 2014.

This photo released by the presidential campaign of Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi shows the candidate greeting supporters at a gathering of about 600 women, in Cairo, May 5, 2014.

A man pins pictures of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak on a poster showing presidential hopeful Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, in Cairo, May 4, 2014.

Once built, Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge will span 2 kilometers with about 1.5 kilometers over water, and will be longest suspension bridge in world carrying rail system More

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by: hytham gaffar from: egypt

May 07, 2014 7:42 AM

If not this attitude of this man critical turned Egypt into a country of civil war have alliance Brotherhood with terrorist groups militant from coast tighten control on the government and they are ready for an alliance with the devil in order to chair and Egypt was also said Sisi inside a dark tunnel all the greetings and appreciation to this hero this is the position of all the Egyptian people unanimously

by: MUSTAFA from: INDIA

May 07, 2014 12:01 AM

This is totally dictatorship. Mr.Sissi is the candidated from Saudi Arabia and UAE.SA &amp; UAE played a very dirty game to remove Mr.Morsi from his seat, and now they are helping Egypt with finance as bribe in taking their dictation to remove Mr.Morsi from his seat.Mr.Sissi will follow the same system adopted in SA &amp; UAE. There is no freedom of expression in both countries, if any body dare to critisice rulers he or they will be behind bars for how many years no body knows. Mr. Sissi wants the samy type of Govt with out any criticisum from any quarter. USA &amp; West should not support dictator, they should support democracy.

by: hamed from: india

May 06, 2014 8:37 PM

The whole world is going against the law of God. Muslim brotherhood just want to restore the law of God. The only book of God without doubt is THE HOLY QURAN. No one can challenge the law of God. All the laws have been manipulated and changed according to the corrupt religious leaders and polititians. Muslim brotherhood or any true muslim just has the responsibility to propagate the law of God and try to implement it. Its always good for the people for example.... 1. Gambling 2. Alcolol 3. Interest. 4. Same sex marraige. 5. Lies everything is so common today these are not even looked as evils of society. Finally believing that THERE IS NO GOD SAVE ALLAH AND PROPHET MOHAMMED (PBUH) IS HIS FINAL MESSENGER.

by: ali baba from: new york

May 06, 2014 12:47 PM

Banning some political party such as Muslim brotherhood is necessary to restore stability. Egypt is in a critical period. I am quite sure that Muslim brotherhood want take advantage of the economic crisis and use their deception tactic to increase the discontent which lead to worsen the stability of the country which can cause the country dragged into civil war.

Muslim brotherhood has a very strong organization. it is extended in every village in Egypt . they are using face book and tweeter and other internet organization to spread rumors to increase the discontent of people which increase riots and destabilizing the country. Remember that civil war in Syria because Muslim brotherhood had the skill to flame situation .they do not care about the consequence of their action. their goal is destroy the whole world and establish another world with mentality of stone age and using sharia law to appointed each member of Muslim brotherhood as prosecutor and executor

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